Redknapp will be judged by Spurs ex-factor with Arsenal as his first test

Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe are high calibre acquisitions but re-signing former players is a policy that leaves the impression Tottenham are not developing as a team and it is understandable that many of their fans may feel the club is going backwards.

Defoe found himself to be third-choice striker a year ago, now he is first choice, at least until his recent foot injury. Pascal Chimbonda’s return is a surprise given he was never outstanding for Sunderland while Wilson Palacios is good, but expensive at £14million.

Only Carlo Cudicini represents undeniable value for money at this stage so the jury is out on the big money deals until they prove their worth.

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Perhaps, given his infectious personality, Keane’s biggest impact will come in the dressing room and manager Harry Redknapp reflected this in giving his new signing the captaincy before even playing a game in his second spell.

There has been a chronic lack of leadership in the Tottenham side for some time and Redknapp sees the Irishman as an inspirational talisman and a potentially prolific striker in equal measure.

Liverpool decided it was good business sense to sell Keane, who must rediscover his confidence and be allowed to go and express himself in the way he used to at White Hart Lane.

Spurs are getting a player who is hungry to produce having been unfortunate at Anfield — coupled with the extra motivation of a second debut against their fiercest rivals — and there won’t be any bedding-in period, unlike with Andrei Arshavin.

Bedding in: Andrei Arshavin will need time to settle into to Arsenal - unlike a number of Tottenham's January signings

Recent history tells us that Russian players have not always settled well in England — think of Sergei Rebrov, Andriy Shevchenko and Roman Pavlyuchenko — and it would be naive to expect too much from Arsenal’s £15m man straight away. However, he can speak a little English and a passion for the club that I believe is genuine and seems well equipped to succeed once he finds his feet.

Contrary to what many Arsenal fans think, the team’s most pressing need at present is to rediscover their unpredictability in the final third.

Arsenal have bought a tremendously gifted player with two good feet who can score goals and unlock defences in a way the current players cannot.

Although his impact on the pitch is unlikely to be immediate, any new signing lifts the dressing room and the fact he can play in a variety of positions will have several players feeling their place is under threat.

Hard times: Roman Pavlyuchenko is one of a number of Russians who have struggled in the Premier League

At 27 years old, Arshavin’s arrival is a significant deviation from Arsene Wenger’s policy of buying potential and that alone is a strong indication of how good a finished article he considers him to be.

Sunday’s match will be the most highly-charged encounter between these two in recent memory, with both sides needing victory and Spurs buoyed by their new signings. Arsenal’s ability to handle the atmosphere could be tempered by the disruption through injury the side has had to cope with all season.

The partnerships that form the team’s spine have never been settled. Centreback pairings have changed on an almost weekly basis while Cesc Fabregas’s absence has weakened the midfield. Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor have played together more frequently than in the past but not regularly enough to form a coherent pairing.

Van Persie has been in superb form but the midfield remains inbalanced. The Gunners badly miss Theo Walcott’s pace on the wing but although they have struggled in recent matches, Arsenal still move the ball well enough to fancy their chances against a vulnerable, if reinforced, Tottenham side.

Great form: van Persie has been on fire for Arsenal and will be hoping to exploit gap in the Spurs defence along with Adebayor

Redknapp’s management style has not always helped the brittle confidence that has been synonymous with the squad for a long time. He came in and inspired a group of players to win six of his first seven games in charge, talking up individual players in turn.

But as soon as the transfer window approaches, Redknapp suddenly complains about the lack of depth and quality in his squad to perhaps put pressure on chairman Daniel Levy to open the chequebook.

Specific goal: With the transfer window out of the way Redknapp must get his side back to winning ways if they are to avoid relegation

That damaged players’ morale, because you lose a little bit of trust and it is no coincidence that Spurs have won just one League game since early December.

Redknapp’s comments are designed with a specific goal in mind and once that target is reached, he shifts his focus elsewhere. Now that focus in on staying in the Premier League, I am confident Spurs will beat the drop given his largely successful track record.

He also doesn’t know what his best side is. His back four is taking shape but further forward it remains uncertain. Spurs could line up with five in midfield, where Palacios and Didier Zokora will protect the back four while Luka Modric plays off a lone striker. But I think he will go for it and play Palacios alongside Modric and leave two up front in Keane and Pavlyuchenko.

That will leave holes at the back that Arsenal can exploit and although it may not quite produce another 4-4 draw, as happened in October, another high-scoring draw would not be a surprise.